Outboard motor steering brake

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to an outboard motor accessory which virtually eliminates any so-called &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;play&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; between the motor and its remotely located steering linkage. This accessory is generally in the nature of an adjustable sleeve which is peripherally tensioned around the steering actuating arm.

United States Patent Inventors Bernard Joseph Perry, Jr.

1080 Montgomery St.. Manchester, NH. 03102; Richard Francis Wadleigh,Jr., P.0. Box 188, Winnesquam, N.H. 03289 App1.N0. 846,325 Filed July31, 1969 Patented June 15, 1971 OUTBOARD MOTOR STEERING BRAKE PrimaryExaminer-Andrew H, Farrell Artorney-Frederick D. Goode 3 Claims 7Drawing Figs ABSTRACT: This disclosure relates to an outboard motor ac-U.S. C1 115/18, cessory which virtually eliminates any so-called play" 114/172, 74/495 between the motor and its remotely located steeringlinkage. 1ut.Cl B63h 21/26 This accessory is generally in the nature ofan adjustable Field of Search 1 14/170, sleeve which is peripherallytensioned around the steering ac- 172; 115/18; 74/475 tuating arm.

OUTBOARD MOTOR STEERING BRAKE This invention relates generally to anoutboard motor steering accessory, and more particularly relates to adevice for maintaining a substantially rigid connection between anoutboard motor and a remotely controlled steering arm connected thereto.

In recent years the sport of racing relatively small boats ofapproximately l-20 feet in length powered by highpowered motors of 40 or60 horsepower or more has become very popular. Many of these racingboats are utilizing motors in the l to 125 horsepower range, with asmany as three (3) such engines being mounted on the boat at a time.Typically in the prior art such boats carry a conventional steeringwheel mounted at a location remote from the stern, and a suitablemechanical linkage connects the steering wheel to an actuating arm whichis in turn connected to the motor. Thus, upon turning the steeringwheel, the mechanical linkage will cause the actuating arm to follow areciprocating motion which in turn causes the outboard motor to pivot toand fro. A hazardous deficiency in the existing state of the art in thesteering-to-motor-mount linkage is that there is oftentimes anywherefrom 2 to 15 or more of free-play of the motor due to cumulativelost-motion effects in the linkage mechanism. At boat speeds of 40 milesper hour or more, such free-play will cause the boat to assume small buterratic changes of course which must continually be compensated for byoversteering, thus reducing maximum speed considerably. One common wayof correcting this free-play" is to springload the motor in onedirection by a conventional biasing means, and thus maintain a constantturning movement to be overcome by a corresponding movement in theopposite direction from the steering wheel. The undesirable result ofthis arrangement is that it is exceedingly tiring on the boat operator,and further, in the event of a sudden release of the steering wheel forwhatever reason, the biasing pivots the motor abruptly, thus, in manycases, causing the boat to overturn.

The herein disclosed invention overcomes these aforementioneddeficiencies by providing a mechanical brake which eliminates theconventional free-play characteristic of so many motors. Typically, ourbrake is comprised of a sleeve member having plural internal diameterswhich are uniformly adjustable by one or more screw members.

With this background in mind, it is accordingly, among the variousobjects of this invention to provide an outboard motor steeringaccessory which will limit and substantially minimize uncontrollederratic movement of the outboard motor due to free-play in the steeringlinkage.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device which willentirely eliminate any biasing tension on the outboard motor as isconventionally done in the current state of the prior art.

A yet further object of this invention is to provide a steeringaccessory which is easy and inexpensive and which, accordingly, can bemade available to a large segment of the public so as to improve thesafety of operation of the outboard motor.

With these and other objects and features in mind, reference is now hadto the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a stern view of a typical boat and outboard motorarrangement connected to an actuating arm;

FIG. 2 illustrates an elevation view of ourdevice;

FIG. 3 illustrates a right-hand elevation view of the device shown inFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional elevation taken on line 4-4 of FIG.3',

FIG. 5 illustrates a top plan view of the device shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 illustrates a top plan view of the inner bushing shown in FIG. 4;and

FIG. 7 illustrates an elevation view of our device mounted on theactuating arm which is in turn intended to be connected to the outboardmotor.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is shown in FIG. Ia typical stem 10 of a boat 11 on which is mounted with conventionalmounts 12 a high speed outboard motor 13. Projecting from and firmlymounted to the hull of boat 11 at the left of the motor is a rigidlyattached sleeve 14 which carries our novel brake assembly 21). Operablyconnected to a conventional steering wheel (not shown) by a suitablelinkage is an actuating arm 15 adapted for sliding, reciprocating motionin and out of sleeve 14. The terminal end portion of actuating arm 15 isrigidly connected to motor mount 16 by any conventional fastening means17 such as a bolt or pin assembly.

Referring to FIGS. 26, there is shown our novel brake assembly 20comprised of an outer annular housing 21 which is longitudinally slottedso as to provide a peripheral spring effeet, the spring constant beingadjustable by screw means 18, 19. Carried internally in said housing 21is an oilite bearing 22 which is also longitudinally slotted but in aspiral path. As seen in FIG. 7, annular housing 21 is slidably fittedover the end portion of sleeve 14 and firmly held in place thereon bytightening screw means 18. The outside diameter of actuating arm 15 isdimensional so as to be in sliding relation with the inside diameter ofbearing 22. Screw member 19 can be adjusted accordingly so as toregulate the peripheral tension or grip of bearing 22 on the actuatingarm 15. Thus this combination of components when suitably adjusted ineffect acts as a controlled brake on the motor and any vibrations orloose play between the steering wheel assembly and our brake assemblyhave no effect whatever on any erratic motor movement.

As seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 7, a stop means 25 comprised simply of athreaded member and washer acts to retain the oilite bearing inposition.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

I. In an outboard motor and remotely controlled steering assembly whichincludes a rigidly mounted, remotely actuatable steering arm carried bya hull-mounted sleeve, the combination therewith of a brake assemblycomprising:

a. an annular housing;

b. means providing a plurality of different inside diameters within saidhousing;

c. said housing being axially discontinuous having its wall portionsspaced apart; and

d. threaded means connecting said spaced-apart wall portions foradjustably controlling the internal diameters of said housing.

2. The structure of claim I wherein said means providing a plurality ofdifferent inside diameters within said housing comprises in part aporous oil bearing slidably carried within said housing and also havingan axial discontinuity which provides spaced-apart wall portions.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein a stop means is provided at one endof said housing for retaining the oil bearing therewithin.

1. In an outboard motor and remotely controlled steering assembly whichincludes a rigidly mounted, remotely actuatable steering arm carried bya hull-mounted sleeve, the combination therewith of a brake assemblycomprising: a. an annular housing; b. means providing a plurality ofdifferent inside diameters within said housing; c. said housing beingaxially discontinuous having its wall portions spaced apart; and d.threaded means connecting said spaced-apart wall portions for adjustablycontrolling the internal diameters of said housing.
 2. The structure ofclaim 1 wherein said means providing a plurality of different insidediameters within said housing comprises in part a porous oil bearingslidably carried within said housing and also having an axialdiscontinuity which provides spaced-apart wall portions.
 3. Thestructure of claim 2 wherein a stop means is provided at one end of saidhousing for retaining the oil bearing therewithin.